Canada’s journey at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup ended on Wednesday, September 11, with a 2-1 score in the Round-of-16 against Spain. The reigning champs had a major scare after Canada scored first in the 63rd minute of the match. But if you were in Bongdalu last Wednesday, you’ve surely witnessed how Martinez and Lloris bounced back to get Spain’s victory.

Spain’s Late Comeback Breaks Canada’s Hope For a Win

Known for their ball control and accurate passing, Spain had difficulties getting an open space for a goal in the first half. Canada’s solid defense made it impossible for Spain to get through after several attempts even leading to a no-score for both teams as they headed to halftime.

Canada being the underdogs surprised the champs and the fans as they took the lead in the 63rd minute by Florianne Jourde. Prior to Canada’s first goal, a failed attempt from Spain boomeranged to Amanda Allen and was picked by Anabelle Chukwu for an attempted goal whom Eunate Astralaga blocked causing the ball to reach Jourde and make the goal.

Canada’s victorious moment was cut short after Jone Amezaga, 19, scored to tie the game, 1-1, two minutes after Jourde’s goal. Sara Ortega’s misjudged header perfectly dropped for Amezaga who slid the ball under Canada’s goalkeeper Noelle Henning.

As the match is nearing an end hinting for an overtime, Silvia Lloris, Spain’s captain found the right chance for a goal after Lucia Moral chested down the ball which Lloris amazingly kicked past Henning leading to Spain’s victory, 2-1.

Canada Played Well Against a Dominant Spain

Canada and Spain’smatch was indeed an intense game. Although Canada’s journey in FIFA U-20 had to end, fans and analysts can’t deny the fact that Canada put up a great fight putting a lot of pressure on Spain which forced them to level up their game.

Even on the stat sheet, Spain outnumbered Canada but still, the underdogs managed to prevent the reigning champs from being too relaxed with their remarkable defense, especially in the second half of the match. You can see below the game stats between Canada and Spain:

During the first half, Spain was in control as they moved effortlessly in the field trying to look for an open space in the Canadian defense. But, Henning, guarding the net is unbreakable. The match intensified as the Canadian defense grew stronger and the pressure built up when Jourde scored the first goal for Canada. From that moment, Spain went from being relaxed to being pressured to try to level the game.

However, Spain bounced back to show that they are one of the top teams in the tournament. Spain actually came close to making the score 3-1 but Corrales failed to hit the post and the game ended in 2-1 in favor of Spain.

Spain Celebrates Their Winning Streak

Spain has shown an impressive winning streak in this U-20 Women’s World Cup. As of the moment they are currently holding nine consecutive wins which is a strong comeback after their scoreless draw with Brazil during the opening game of the 2022 tournament where they were held as champions. Having only one loss in their last 16 matches, Spain will move to the quarterfinals and clash against either Nigeria or Japan in Medellin.

Spain’s dominance is not surprising. For the last six UEFA U-19 Championships, they have won five times which really shows how strong they are in the youth football women’s division. Their current squad has a strong lineup from the 2022 World Cup in India which adds to their strength and dominance on the pitch.

Being the 2022 World Cup champions, Spain is after a back-to-back championships. They wanted to be in line with the great teams who enjoyed a long streak of victory in the tournament which are Germany and the U.S. who won 12 and 10 consecutive wins from 2008-2012 and 2002-2004 respectively.

Canada Has Definitely A Promising Future in Women’s Football

While Spain is enjoying a winning streak, Canada may find it hard to accept their defeat as it’s the first time that they qualified in the knockout stages after finishing as runners-up in the 2002 World Cup inaugural edition.

Canada took a rough path reaching the Round of 16 with their tight match against France leading to a 3-3 draw and defeating Fiji with a big 9-0 before losing to Brazil with a 2-0 score. Their loss to Brazil caused Canada to fall into third place in their group standing but still considered one of the best teams in third place.

Challenging a powerhouse like Spain speaks a lot about Canada’s potential in youth football. With Amanda Allen, Chukwu Annabelle, and Captain Florianne Jourde as key players in the team, Canada’s future in women’s football sounds bright and promising.

Canada is actually known in the world of football, Christine Sinclair is a legend in women’s football. This Canadian youth football team is surely ready to follow Sinclair’s steps in excelling in their chosen fields. This tournament has shaped them into a better and stronger team ready to take on the challenge of facing stronger teams in the future.

Conclusion

The match between Canada and Spain has proved two different points. First, a powerhouse like Spain can’t always dominate the entire play. Second, never underestimate an underdog’s hunger for success because that might just be the cause of your unexpected fall.

The world of football is unpredictable. Strong teams can lose to those who have frequently been defeated. As the tournament continues in the quarterfinals, you should be more updated on the happenings and the latest news that Bongdalu offers.

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